Wsl Predictions 2025-26: Bbc Sport Pundits Pick Their Top Three

The Women's Super League returns connected Friday pinch Chelsea seeking to triumph a seventh successive title - will anyone extremity them?

Sonia Bompastor's broadside vanished 12 points clear of Arsenal past season, but pinch a engaged transportation model down them nan Gunners will dream to beryllium person challengers.

London City Lionesses are embarking connected their debut run successful nan top-flight, while location person been a number of managerial changes complete nan summer, including astatine Manchester City, Liverpool and Tottenham.

Some of our pundits and presenters predicted their apical 3 for nan 2025-26 campaign, making their picks made earlier deadline day.

Once nan transportation model closed, BBC Sport women's shot news newsman Emma Sanders predicted wherever she thinks each squad will decorativeness this season.

Having won six WSL titles successful a row, it's difficult to look past Chelsea.

I was concerned by injuries successful their frontline - Mayra Ramirez will beryllium retired until January pursuing hamstring surgery, while Lauren James is besides missing for a fewer weeks.

But they spent large money to bring successful United States guardant Alyssa Thompson connected deadline time to benignant that issue.

With Australia superstar Sam Kerr besides to return, their squad remains 1 packed pinch talent, and they cognize really to win.

Arsenal person ever been tin of winning nan title but person lacked consistency and were miles disconnected it astatine nan commencement of past year.

They will beryllium very adjacent this clip astir disconnected their backmost of their Champions League occurrence but they request to move that belief into ruthlessness.

Manager Renee Slegers has proven her pedigree and if anyone tin get that retired of them, it is her. But I deliberation Chelsea still person an edge.

The arrivals of Olivia Smith and Taylor Hinds person added extent to Arsenal's squad but I interest they mightiness still beryllium a spot short successful a fewer areas.

Under caller head Andree Jeglertz, Manchester City person made it clear they want to beryllium challenging for nan title and returning to Champions League football.

They person fallen down successful caller years pinch their deficiency of silverware but erstwhile they person a fully-fit squad, they person played immoderate of nan champion football.

I request convincing they tin compete pinch Arsenal and Chelsea but I spot nary reasons why they can't suffice for nan Champions League.

They person signed immoderate breathtaking young players successful Switzerland world Iman Beney and England midfielder Grace Clinton to adhd depth.

While Manchester United person added immoderate value successful Sweden internationals Julia Zigiotti and Fridolina Rolfo, positive England midfielder Jess Park successful nan transportation window, they mislaid Grace Clinton and look short successful extent successful areas.

I hoped to spot much ambition complete nan summertime to hole them for Champions League football, particularly erstwhile you look astatine nan business done by different clubs astir them.

They person a beardown squad and performed good past play which I deliberation puts them successful bully stead, but I don't spot them challenging for nan title.

Perhaps a chaotic prediction to spot a newly-promoted broadside truthful precocious up successful nan array but London City Lionesses are not your mean club.

They collapsed nan world-record transportation interest to bring successful France world Grace Geyoro for £1.4m connected deadline day, having triggered a merchandise clause of £430,000 for young Spanish world Lucía Corrales earlier that day.

Their squad is afloat of players pinch Champions League and WSL experience. On paper, it is 1 that could situation nan apical four.

The biggest mobility is whether head Jocelyn Precheur tin get them each to gel truthful quickly but I deliberation they will do well.

Another nine who person shown ambition successful nan model is Everton nether caller ownership The Friedkin Group.

They will beryllium playing astatine Goodison Park this play which tin only beryllium a bully point and nether head Brian Sorensen, they person a clear personality connected really they want to play.

The past fewer seasons they person had to excavation successful to decorativeness mid-table and negociate respective wounded issues. Now, they person much extent and value to push on.

Brighton made strides past play nether head Dario Vidosic and they person added much talent successful nan transportation window.

But nan nonaccomplishment of knowledgeable England world Nikita Parris was a rustle and I still deliberation they request clip to let their comparatively young squad clip to progress.

I tin spot them causing problems but they will request to beryllium accordant to enactment successful nan apical half of nan table.

It's been a very unsettling six months for Liverpool since nan departure of erstwhile head Matt Beard.

They fell down successful nan summertime erstwhile Gareth Taylor's assignment arsenic imperishable caput coach was delayed by contractual issues from his clip astatine Manchester City and that meant they were scrambling astir for caller signings to adhd depth.

In nan end, they did immoderate bully business connected deadline day, bringing successful Risa Shimizu connected indebtedness from Manchester City and making Alejandra Bernabe's move from Chelsea permanent, giving them much-needed extent successful full-back areas.

But it's difficult to look past nan nonaccomplishment of past season's top-scorer Smith and vice-captain Hinds, some to Arsenal. The squad is ray and they will request to beryllium engaged successful January.

It's difficult to judge wherever Aston Villa are astatine because they were truthful disappointing past play but I don't deliberation they will person nan aforesaid struggles this clip around.

They person made immoderate shrewd signings successful nan transportation model pinch England younker world Lucia Kendall among a group of talented youngsters.

But head Natalia Arroyo is still early successful her tenure truthful it could return immoderate clip earlier she is capable to instil her style of play connected nan squad.

Rehanne Skinner did a bully occupation past play astatine getting nan champion retired of her squad and West Ham showed much consistency.

It was a amended transportation model for nan nine excessively arsenic they managed to support clasp of their big-name players, specified arsenic top-scorer Shekiera Martinez.

But I deliberation they look ray successful midfield successful peculiar and still request to adhd much extent to situation those higher up nan table.

Plenty of Tottenham fans are concerned astir their squad going into nan caller play and I tin spot why.

It was a disappointing transportation model pinch defender Toko Koga and guardant Cathinka Tandberg nan only additions.

New head Martin Ho is simply a highly-regarded coach and had a successful clip astatine erstwhile nine Brann but he has his activity trim retired this season.

Spurs person antecedently spoken astir wanting to adjacent nan spread connected nan apical clubs successful nan WSL but they mislaid crushed past play and person acted slow this summer.

Like Tottenham, nan extent successful Leicester City's squad is simply a interest .

They sacked head Amandine Miquel conscionable 10 days earlier their WSL play opener against Manchester United.

A flurry of precocious arrivals successful nan last 48 hours of nan transportation model has helped them but I don't deliberation location is capable value successful nan squad to compete consistently.

Automatic relegation doesn't beryllium successful nan WSL this play pursuing description , truthful I deliberation a much successful model successful January will beryllium capable to support them safe.